Water closet connection



Feb. 27, 1940. J, w, SZLAPKA y 2,192,110

WATER CLOSET CONNECTION Filed Oct. 3l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 27, 1940. J. w. szLAPKA 2,192,110

WATER CLOSET CONNECTION Patented Feb. 27, 1940 i l "UNITEDY- STATES PATENT vOFFICE WATER CLOSET CONNECTION John W. Szlapka, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 31,

f 4 Claims.

This invention relates to av water vclosetA connection, and more particularly to improved means lfor maintaining a tight connection between a water supply conduitand a toilet bowl.`

One feature of this invention is that it pro,- vides and maintains a non-leaking seal between a toilet bowl and a water supply conduit; an-` Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a. bowl and conduit embodying my invention; Figure 2 2'0* isa bottom plan view of the device shown in.

Figure 1; Figure' 3 is a view,partly in section, along the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a view principally insection, along the line 4-4 of Figure 2. y,

The water conduit for a back supply bowl has heretofore been usually connected to the toilet bowl merely by athreaded telescoping member. While such a connection is satisfactory in the majority of cases, it has proved unable to withstand the strains imposed on it under certain circumstances. Toilet bowlsA having self-rising seats and seat-flushingvalves, for example, cause considerable strain on the water supplyl connecv tion, and it has been found that the conven- 35 tional telescoping` connection above-mentioned generally leaks' when used with such bowls.v

Moreover, even Where the valve is manually operative, it has been found that in, some cases the toilet bowls receive such rough usage `as to cause leakage at the inlet; this frequently occurs, for example, ,in schools or other public places where the bowls maybe stood on or otherwise abused. My .invention provides and maintains a tight and non-leaking connection between.; the bowl 45 and the water supply conduit by using a yoke and a pair of anchor bolts to firmly maintain the conduit in position with respect to the bowl.

In the particular embodiment of my invention ytional type has in theback thereof an opening 1938, Serial No. 238,044

cent the opening of the bowl is provided-with an annularl outwardly extending flan-ge I3 of 4 greater diameter than the opening. `Referring more particularly to Figure 4, it will bel seen that an expansion washer or gasket e I4 and an internally threaded'telescoping membervv I5 of conventional type provide connection bei-f tween the conduit I2 and the bowl I0. This con' nection is not here relied upon for maintaining l these parts n tight relation, however, my inven. tionproviding further means whereby the ange I3 compresses the -gasket I4 against the toilet bowl with great force. 1

This further means comprises a yoke plate It having an opening I1 therethrough adapted to encircle the conduit I2, the portion of the yoke plate I6 immediately about said opening being adapted to abutthe ange I3 on the side thereof removed from the bowl. The yoke memberor plate I6 is provided with reinforcing means IB atV this point, in the form of ridges thereon. Iny order to draw the yoke plate toward the'bowlj and thus maintain the ange, gasket and bowl in tight relation, tensioning means connecting the yoketo the bowl are provided.

shown as provided onopposite sides of the opening therethrough with seat posts I9 and 20, these vI posts having threaded shanks 2| and 22 extending throughthe shoulders or upper portion of the bowl as illustrated. Theposts are adapted, ink conventional manner, to support and provide the hinges for the seat 23 and cover 24.

The shanks of the vseat posts are adaptedto have mounted thereon to swivel therearound anchor bolts 25 and 26, the projecting portions -of the bolts being lpreferably offk center ofthe collar portions, as 21, encircling the shanks of the seat posts. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the collar 21 of the anchor bolt 25 is held in place on the shank 2l of the seatpost I9 by a nut 28 and an extension collar 29.` This arrangement enables proper location of the anchor bolts with` respect to the yoke on bowls of any thickness, since various combinations or arrangements of the parts 2l and 29 may be made.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3, ity willbe seen that the yoke member or plate I6 hasat each end thereof,`0n opposite sides of the opening encircling the conduit I2, T-shaped open-ended slots 30 and 3l. These slots are 'adapted lto receive the anchor bolts 25 and 26, respectively, and the edges of the slots provide a bearing against which the nuts 32 and 33 on 25 The bowl, 1n conventlonal manner, 1s here such bolts may be drawn up. The fact that the `slots are open-ended enables the bolts to be readily swiveled into place therein without removing the nuts are drawn up on the anchor bolts consof siderable force is exerted on the yoke drawing it toward the4 toilet bowl. Because ,of lits position behind the 4flange i3 of the water'supply conduit l2 the yoke, as a' result of such force, tightly compresses the expansion washer or gasket l@ toprovide a tight connection. Moreover, because the placement of the bolts at some distance yfrom the center of the conduit provides considerable leverage with respect thereto, a tight connection is maintained despite forces which would otherwise tend to displace or move the bowl with respect to the conduit.

In'a'sse'mbling-'the connection ofthe type here disclosed it .is onlyy necessary to slip the yoke plate over the cond-uit IZ before connecting it tothe' boX or: other sourceof water, and to slip the swivel anchor bolts in position on the shanks 4of thev seat-posts before .tightening them in place on the" bowl. The anchor `bolts may then be swiveledinto position'in' the yoke, and the nuts on the anchor posts tightened. It is then only necessary to draw up on the anchorbolts to pron vide thel desired tight connection between the conduit I2 and the toilet bowl.

While I have described and claimed certain embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be madevwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as'broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described for ,maintaining a tight connection between a flanged 'conduit and a hornless toilet bowl, including: a

gasket adapted to lie between said bowl andthe ilange on said conduit; a yoke adapted to contact said flange on the side removed from said bowl; and means engaging said. bowl'and said yoke and adapt'ed tov draw said yoke toward said bowl to maintain said flange in sealing engagementwith said gasket. y K' 2. Apparatus of the character described for maintaining a tight connection between a ilanged water supply conduit andy a toilet bowl having seat posts, including: a gasket adapted to lie beu tween'said bowl and the flange oni'said conduit; a yoke adapted to contactsaid ange'onrthe side removed from said bowl; and tensioning means seat posts and said yoke and adapted to draw said vyoke toward said bowlto maintain said i'iange in sealing engagement with said gasket..

3. Apparatus of the character described for maintaining a tight'conneotion between afianged water rsupply conduit and a toilet bowl having seat posts, including: a gasket adapted to lie` between said bowi andthe flange von said conduit; a yoke plate adapted to contact said .flange on on-opposite sides of said flange connecting said the side removed from. said b0w1,. said yoke hav.

ing, open-endedy T`shaped slots therein on oppow site Vsides of said flange; and a lpair of bolts mounted on said yseat posts to swiveltherearound and adaptedto be received by said slots, whereby drawing `up on said bolts draws saidiyoke toe-1 ward said bowl to maintain said ange in vsealing engagement with said gasket. v' .`v

4. Apparatus Vof the character described for maintaining ra tight connection.betweenawater supplyA conduit having an annularV iiange therearound and atoilet bowlhaving seat posts, in"

cludingza gasket adapted'to lie between said bowl and the flange on said commit;l a yoke plate. k 

